Tacoma vs 4Runner: Portals vs Long-Travel on Colorado’s Rockiest Trail (Spring Creek)

We put three very different Toyota builds on one of Colorado’s rockiest trails—Spring Creek—to see what really matters when the terrain gets nasty: ground clearance or suspension travel. Our 4th-gen Tacoma (mid-travel on King Shocks, long bed, 37s) squares off against two 5th-gen 4Runners—one +2 long-travel on 35s, the other on portals with 37s. From “the Wall” to the infamous Hard Left, we test wheelbase, breakover, articulation, and skid/slider protection the hard way—with winching, line choice, and a few spicy drags across rock. ✅ Trail: Spring Creek, Colorado (steep ledges, rock gardens, tight turns) ✅ Rigs: 4G Tacoma (mid-travel, King Shocks, 37s), 5G 4Runner (+2 LT, 35s), 5G 4Runner (portals, 37s) ✅ Key Obstacles: “The Wall,” “Hard Left,” endless rock garden ✅ What We Compare: ground clearance vs articulation • wheelbase & breakover • traction vs line choice ✅ Real Outcomes: when portals walk away, when LT shines, and where the long-bed Tacoma struggles ✅ Protection That Matters: rock sliders + skid plates saved the day—again If you’re building for rock crawling, this video shows why clearance and breakover can trump raw travel; if you’re chasing high-speed desert or mixed use, travel has its moments. Either way, tuning your line choice, tire size, and armor can be the difference between sending or winching. Want help planning your build? We outfit Toyotas every day. Parts, installs, and advice: runnin4tacos.com Drop a comment: Portals vs Long-Travel—what would you choose for Spring Creek? — Chapters 00:00 Intro & rigs overview 02:50 First obstacles & traction talk 07:30 “The Wall” attempts 12:00 The infamous Hard Left 17:45 Detour drama & recovery 18:40 Final verdict: clearance vs travel #toyota #tacoma #4runner #overland #offroad #springcreek #colorado #rockcrawling #portals #longtravel #kingshocks #37s #skidplates #rocksliders #runnin4tacos